Tower yarder assembly



Aug. 19, 1952 G. FRINK TOWER YARDER' ASSEMBLY Filed Nov. 5 194')INVENTOR. Ger'qld Fr'lnK ATTORNEY.

Patented Aug. 19, 1952 ington- Iron Works, Seattle,

vtion of Washington Wash, a corpora- Application November 3,mam-summa-1784319 This invention relates to a tower .ya'r'der assembly,one more especially which is portable in nature, and it is one object ofthe invention to provide a tower yarder in which the tower, the spoolingdrums, andthe engine of the yarder are carried upon a mobile stand.

It is a further and important object to .pro vide a s the tower for theyarder, a spar member mounted upon the stand for vertical swingingmovement from an approximately horizontal carrying position into ahupright operating position, and with the assembly so constructed andarranged .as to permit the engine of the yarder, when the spar is beingerected, to be employed both ior hoisting the spar and for stabilizingthe latter against lateral sway. 4

,a' further object still, the invention aims to providea tower yarderassembly in which the erected ,spar is stepped upon a thrust bearing andin which this bearing is independent of the pivot mounting which{swingablysupport's the The ;i nvention- -has the still further andimportant object of providing a yarder assembly o ia 'e swirlsab y m u ds a nd Which is "characterized in that the pivot axis lies close ih srundl r A stil unn r ;and.;il-n e n Object de in so engineeringthe sparand its pivot mounting as to assure, whenthespar'occupies its loweredhorizontal position, ample clearance for a tractor to :run under thespar and hook ontothe yaifder tor-towing the latter from one to anothersite.

Th o e oi-na to e h wi ot er fe s of the invention and the advantagesattained thereby, -wi ll appear and be understood in the course of thefollowing description and claims, the invention consisting, in thenovelconstruction and :in-the adaptation and combination of parts hereinafterdescribed and claimed.

In the accompanyingdrawings: V,

Figure l is a view inside elevation illustrating a tower yarder assemblyconstructed in accordance with the DOWeDIGfBIIZBdsEmbOdiHIGIlt of thepresent invention, :full and, dotted .lines being employed to representthe =sp1ar in elevated and lowered positions.

Fig. 32 is a fragmentary view-to an enlarged scaleup'rincipally infrontelevation but partially in section, and with the spar being here shownas: occupying its lowered positionfln both'this and the preceding view,and for simplicity in illustration,'the crawler treads which givemobility to the vehicular body upon which the yarder is 11 Claims. (01.212-144) )2 carried are-shown only iii-outline with noattempt at detail.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary-view to an enlarged scale and shown party inelevation and partly in section to detail the head end of the spar Fig,4 is a horizontal sectionon line 4-41 of m y Fig. 5 is a fragmentaryverticalsection to a yet larger scale and taken one line radial to thespar assembly fordetailing one of the several swivel-sheave units whichaccommodate the-main guy lines for the assembly.

The numeral to designates a vehicular body sides of the swivel center,upstanding spaced pairs of apertured 1ugs I1, andremov-ably receivedthrough the apertures of these lugs isa horizontal pivotpin 20. There isalso carried upon the frontal end of the platform, but removedrearwardly from thechair and preferably such as to occupy a positionproximate to but lying slightly behind the transverse vertical center ofthe front, crawler units H, a relatively heavy thrustplate ll formed topresent a facing socket of semispherical form. In a manner which will behereinafter described, the spar member of the present invention, andwhich I denote generally lay-23, is arranged when occupying its erectedposition to be stopped in this socket, the footing element comprising amating ballshaped butt 24 made an integral part of the spar.

At the rear end and upon-opposite sides of the yarder there are providedstandards25 between which isjournaled a sheave; 26, and placed belowsuch sheave at or about the floor line of the-platform isa second sheave2 The two sheaves act in complement to guide a spar hoisting line 28,this line-having one of its ends made fast to the yarder, passingtherefromabouta sheave 39 carried upon an out-jutting framework 3i ofthe spar 23;, thence having a complete turn around the two sheavesjfiand 358 and, after again passing over the sheave 26, running downwardlyto the sheave ,2! and thence iorwardly to a spooling drum, this spoolingdrum being one of a severalty of drums denoted 29 and which, togetherwith a yarder engine 32, are carried upon the platform. The drivingconnections including control brakes and clutches between the engine andthe several spooling drums are or may be conventional and require noillustration.

Now reverting to the spar member, the footing end therof, in addition tothe rearwardly jutting framework 3 I, is also provided with a forwardlyjutting outrigger frame 33. This frame 33 is composed of two matchingtrestle-like structures having the limbs of the trestles joined at theends by gussets 34 and tied, one gusset'to the other, by a spreader bar35.

The gussets 34 are apertured, and the location and spacing is such that,by slight lowering movement of the spar from the erected full-lineposition in which the same is'shown in Fig. 1, the gussets will lodge inthe interstices between the paired lugs of the swivel-mounted chair Itand, bringing the apertures of the gussets into registration with theapertures of the lugs, permit the pivot pin to be passed therethroughfor coupling the one to the other, a continuation of the loweringmovement then causing the spar to swing about the pin 20 as an axis witha coincidental lifting of the butt 24 out of its socket.

When completely lowered, the spar occupies the position in which it isshown by dotted lines'in Fig. 1, the spar then lying more or lesshorizontal to the ground. When moving the yarder, accomplished bycoupling the draw-bar I3 to a tractor, such spar desirably has its frontend supported upon the trailer bed of a lead truck travelling ahead ofthe tractor. It may be here pointed out that the outrigger frame 33efiectively elevates the hinged end of the lowered spar to enable thetractor to work freely under the latter.

The-spar is hollow and, sectionally considered, is of a generallyrectangular configuration framed from corner angle irons 36 faced withsteel plates, and there is welded or otherwise secured upon the head endof the spar a collar 31 formed in its perimeter with a circumscribinggroove 38. groove, and provided at diametrically opposite sides of thisring are spaced apertured ears 4! for the attachment, as by pins 42 and43, of a main lead block 44 at one side and tail guys 45 at the otherside of the ring. The main line 0 which runs through this block andthence downwardly to a related one of the spooling drums is shown inFig. 1 and designated 46.

Welded or otherwise rigidly secured to the spar to lie in surmountingrelation to the collar is a cage structure composed, as shown, ofhorizontal plates 41 and 48 separated by web spacers 49, and atequidistantly spaced intervals about the circumference there is receivedbetween the top and bottom plates of this cage a severalty of verticalpins, eight being shown. Four of these pins, denoted 50, are solid andserve as bearings for swivel eyes 5| arranged and adapted to engageauxiliary, guy lines (not shown), and the other four pins, denoted 52and alternating with 'the solid pins, are hollow and are made anintegral part of swivel-yokes 53 supporting respective sheavesEd which,with outlying blocks 55, each serve as a differential take-up forassociated main guy lines 56. The draw-line 5'! for this take-up tacklehas one end anchored to the block 55 and, after making a complete turnabout the sheave 54 and the block, is returned over the sheave andthence through the hollow pin 52 (see Fig. 5) into the spar, runningdownwardly A ring 40 is revolubly fitted in this 4 through the latterand at the base of the spar being passed under a sheave 58 and thence toa related one of the spooling drums of the yarder.

In addition to the main line 45 and the several guy lines, namely tail,main and auxiliary, provision must perforce be made for the haul-backline and also for the straw line, denoted by GE and El, respectively. Atthe very top of the spar I provide a swivel-mounted fair-lead 62 and asheave 63, the haul-back line being arranged to pass through thefair-lead and over the sheave and, as with the lines 46 and 5?, thencerunning downwardly to a related one of the spooling drums. Thestraw-line, which likewise is spooled about a related one of the drums,works through a block 64 supported at or about the mid-height of thespar.

Assuming that the spar occupies the lowered position in which it isshown by dotted lines in Fig. 1, the procedure in raising the spar is tofirst take up on the hoist line 28, causing the spar to swing upwardlyabout the pivot-pin 23 as an axis. Coincident with this elevationalmovement, the several main guy lines, which have been previously securedby their outer ends to suitably located anchoring stumps, are taken upor let out as may, in the respective instance, be necessary to stabilizethe head-end of the spar. As the rising spar approaches its fullyerected position, the swinging butt 24 will become seated in the socketof the step-bearing 2| and the hoisting drum is then momentarily set inthis position while the pivot-pin 20 is withdrawn, following which thehoisting action is continued with the weight of the spar being nowentirely borne by the step-bearing. The main guys are all drawn intotaut conditions, their spooling drums locked, and the operation is thencompleted by running the outer ends of the auxiliary and tail guysaround suitable anchoring stumps, this latter operation beingaccomplished in the customary manner, and which is to say by takingwhich should be expressly pointed out is that the.

two-point pivotal suspension by which the lowered spar is sustained upona swivel-mounted chair, in conjunction with hoist and guy lines whichlead from the spar to the spooling drums of the yarder and are at alltimes available for lifting the head end of the spar, make it possiblewhen the yarder is being moved from one to another site to manipulatethe yarder and its spar around bends which would be otherwise diflicultif not impossible to negotiate. With the described arrangement, andassuming that the turning arc of an encountered bend is too short toaccommodate the reach of the spar when the latter occupies its loweredhorizontal position, the procedure is simply one of starting up theengine of the yarder and raising the spar in'the degree necessary toshorten the horizontal span to the turning limit prescribed by the bend,coincidently stabilizing this elevational movement by staking out mainguy lines at each side of the roadway, and then gradually taking in orplaying out these guylines'on the related spooling drums asitheuy-arderq-is .manipulated around the bend therhereto annexed claimsberead with -a scope" commensurate with the broadest interpretationwhich the employed language permits.

What I claim is: 1

1. In a tower mobile yarder assembly, a yarder carrying spooling drumstogether with a source of power for drivingthe drums, a straight sparswingably supported at its lower end by the yarder for movement .irom .alowered approximately horizontal position into an erected approximatelyvertical position and upon its head end carrying a plurality of sheaveseach of which is swivel-mounted for self-alinement with guy linespassing over the respective sheaves, a hoistinglin'e connected to thespar and powered from one of the spooling drumsfor elevating the spar,and a plurality of guy lines working through the sheaves, arranged to besecured by one end of each to anchoring stumps, and having their otherends operatively attached to others of the said spooling drums forstabilizing thehead end of the spar during the act of raising thelatter.

.2. In a tower mobile yarder assembly, a-yar'der carrying spooling drumsand an engine for driving the drums, .a straight spar supported by theyarder for vertical swinging movement from a lowered approximatelyhorizontal position into an erected upright position, the swing axis ofsaid yarder occupying a plane which approximately coincides horizontallywith the plane ccupiecl by the drums and the engine, a hoisting lineconnected to the spar and powered from one of the spooling drums for,raising the spar, a plurality of sheaves carried upon the head end ofthe spar each of which is swivel-mounted for self-alinement with guylines passing over the respective sheaves, and guy lines arranged to besecured by one end of each to respective anchoring stumps and runningtherefrom to the sheaves and thence to others of the said spooling drumsfor stabilizing the head end of the spar during the act of raising thelatter.

3. In a tower yarder assembly, a yarder carrying spooling drums togetherwith an engine for driving the drums and presenting a step bearingoccupying a plane which approximately coincides with the plane occupiedby the drums and the engine, a spar supported by the yarder for verticalswinging movement from a lowered inactive position whereat the sameoccupies an approximately horizontal position into an operating uprightposition, the spar when occupying its said upright position footing uponthe step bearing, and a hoisting line connected to the spar and poweredfrom one of the spooling drums for elevating the spar.

4. In a tower yarder assembly, a yarder carrying spooling drums and anengine for driving the drums, a spar supported by the yarder forvertical swinging movement from a lowered inactive position Whereat thesame occupies an approximately horizontal position into an operatingupright position, a step-bearing upon the yarder offset longitudinallyfrom the swing axis of the spar 6 tothe side :of the latteropposite'from the slowered head of the spar, a hoisting,lineconnected tothe spar and powered from iOIIG'LOf the spooling drums for elevating thespar, rand alfOOt provided upon theisparland "arrange'd gby upwardswinging move ment pf the spar to register withandseat upon thestep-bearing and th'ereby transfer from the swing axisto the step-bearing the vertical thrust ofthe'uprightspar. J

Ina tower yarder assembly, 'a ya'rder', a spar provided at its baseGIIdjaWithl-fil'l. out-jutting framework, a :detachable hing'econnection between the yarder and the free extremity of saidout-jutting:framework end'a'ctin'g to .support the spar ff or vertical swingingmovement from a "lowered approximately :horizontal. :position into anupright '-.position, a step -'bearing :upon the yarder off set:ilongitudina'lly fromsthe swing axis of the spar to theiside"oppositerthatcoccupied 'by the lowered head of 'thetspar,1 a footprovidedcupon the spar and arranged by upward s'winging: movement of'the spa'r to 'register'gwith and seat upon the .s'tep bearing, :andmeansforrais-ingand owering 'said spar.

6. In a portable spar assembly-a mobileihase, a spar provided adjacentits bottom end With'Olltrigger structures jutting fore: and? aft from"diametrioa'lly oppositesides; a :hinge :cohnectibn be-" tween the baseand the free. extremity-bf one of said outrigger structures supportingthe spar :for

vertical swinging movement from a lowered ap occupieid 'by the loweredhead of the spar-,and a foot provided upon the spar and arranged byupward swinging movement of the spar to'register with and seat upon thestep-bearing.

7. In a tower yarder assembly, a mobile yarder carrying spooling, drumstogether with an engine for driving the drums, a chair upon the frontend of the yarder mounted for swivel movement about a vertical axis, aspar provided at its bottom end with a forwardly jutting outriggerstructure, a hinge connection between the chair and the free extremityof said outrigger structure supporting the spar for vertical swingingmovement from a lowered approximately horizontal position into anupright position, a hoisting line connected to the spar and powered fromone of the spooling drums for elevating the spar, a step-bearing uponthe yarder off-set longitudinally from the swing axis of the spar to theside opposite that occupied by the lowered head of the spar, and a footprovided upon the spar and arranged by upward swinging movement of thespar to register and seat upon the step-bearing. I

8. In a tower yarder assembly, a yarder carrying spooling drums and anengine for driving the drums, a spar supported by the yarder forvertical swinging movement from a lowered approximately horizontalposition into an upright position and presenting upon its head end arigidly circumferentially grooved collar, a ring received for rotaryshifting movements in the groove of said collar and providing means forthe attachment thereto of stabilizing tail guys, a block suspended fromthe ring and arranged to handle a main line spooled by one of its endsabout one of the drums, and means also provided upon the head end of thespar for the attachment of main guys and for handling a haul-back linewhich, as

'mately horizontal position into an upright position and presenting uponits head end a rigid circumferentially grooved collar, a ring receivedfor rotary'shifting movements in the groove of said collar and providingmeans at one side thereof for the attachment thereto of stabilizing tailguys, a block suspended from the ring to lie diametrically opposite fromsaid guy attachment and arranged to handle a main line spooled by one ofits ends about one of the drums, a rigid cage surmounting the collar, aplurality of sheaves supported by the cage to lie at spaced intervalsabout the circumference of the latter and each acting to handle a mainguy line spooled by one of its ends about a related one of the drums,and means also carried by the spar and placed in surmounting relation tothe cage and acting tohandle a haul-back line which, like the main andguy lines, is spooled by one of its ends about one of the drums.

10. A tower yarder assembly according to claim 9 in which the spar is ofhollow construction and wherein the sheaves for the main guys areswivelmounted with the swivel pins being hollow and opening by theirbottom ends into the interior of the spar, access being provided toenable the inner ends of the guy lines to pass from the respectivesheave into the bore of the related pin whence the line passesdownwardly through the spar to the spooling drum.

11. In a tower yarder assembly, a yarder carrying spooling drums and anengine for driving the drums, a hollow upright spar supported by theyarder, and a plurality of sheaves swivel-mounted 4 upon the head end ofthe spar and each acting to handle a main guy line spooled by one of itsends about a related one of the drums, the swivel mountings comprisinghollow pins each j ournaled to turn about a respective axis generallyparallel to the longitudinal center line of the spar and having openingsin the side and in the bottom of each said pin with said bottom openingbeing exposed to the interior of the spar, the side openings enablingthe inner ends of the guy lines to pass from the respective sheave intothe bore of the related pin and thence through the bottom openingdownwardly through the spar to the spooling drum.

GERALD EFRINK.

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